USA, New Jersey: Lambda Legal Files Lawsuit for Marriage Equality

Lambda Legal is going after marriage equality rights in New Jersey in the face of Governor Christie’s steadfast refusal to sign a marriage equality bill. Equality on Trial reports:

“The demise of DOMA Section 3 means that New Jersey’s marriage discrimination is all that bars same-sex couples and their families from the full range of federal rights, benefits, and protections. With this new legal landscape, New Jersey’s same-sex couples and their children need swift action,” said Hayley Gorenberg, Lambda Legal Deputy Legal Director. “In Lambda Legal’s original New Jersey marriage case, Lewis v. Harris, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled in 2006 that it is unconstitutional to give same-sex couples lesser rights than different-sex couples. In 2013, after the defeat of DOMA, there is nothing left to debate – couples in civil unions are not being treated equally under the law.”

As Jacob Combs notes in the article: “If the motion for summary judgment is approved, the case could be decided without any need for a trial or for further oral arguments.” Things could move quickly in New Jersey, extending marriage equality all the way from Maine along the Atlantic Coast to DC.